Building block sealing construction



' "11mm, was w. c. GRAY 3,186 130 BUILDING BLOCK SEALING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 19. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 5

Will/am 6! Gray 1N VENTOR.

BY Emma...

eon yaw lim United States Patent 3,186,130 BUILDING BLOCK SEALING CONSTRUCTIGN William C. Gray, 1500 S. th St., Lawrenceville, Ill. Filed July 19, 1961, Ser. No. 125,161 5 Claims. (61. 50-370) This invention relates to building construction and more particularly to a dry surface panel assembly for walls, ceilings or the like.

The present invention is concerned with the installation of interior walls or ceilings by use of a dry construction which may be installed more rapidly and requiring less skill to provide a construction that is more rugged, neater and has improved sealing qualities. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a wall or ceiling construction formed by an assemblage of interlocking panels which are cemented to each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and useful panel assembly for dry wall construction in which the panel assemblies are interlocked by abutment between spacer elements that are sandwiched between offset face and back panels of each panel assembly. The face and back panels are spaced with respect to each other when the spacer edges are abutting to thereby define cement filled spacers. Accordingly, the walls or ceiling constructions assembled from the panel assemblies will have exceptional strength qualities not only because of the interlocking portions of the panel assemblies and the offset relationship between the edges thereof but also because of the cemented joints formed between the spaced edges.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel panel assembly that may be more easily attached to the studding or backing on the studding of a building in assembled interlocking relation with other panel assemblies so as to form a neat, rugged and weather sealed wall without necessitating the use of a high degree of skill or tedious labor.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the novel panel assembly of the present invention involves a face panel and a back panel which are spaced from each other by a spacer element, to which the panels are both attached as by gluing, the panel and the spacer elements all being disposed in olfset relation to each other whereby the panel assembly may be assembled in interlocking relation to adjacent panel assemblies and also form therebetwecn spaces for receiving cement. The spacer element also functions to provide the only abutting edges for the panel assembly whereby-the spacing between the other edges of each panel assembly is predetermined. Notches are also formed in two adjacent sides of the spacer elements so that communication is provided between the cement edges of the face panels and the cement edges of the back panels. Accordingly, each panelassembly may be attached to an unfinished wall backing by nailing an exposed portion of the back panels 'to the wall backing after which the recessed nail head is sealed when another panel assembly'is interlocked with the attached panel assembly. The face surface of the interlocked panel assemblies may finally be finished off by means of a course paper that is cemented to the face surface of each panel assembly with portions of the paper overlapping the face surface and cut on the job so as to form a perfect seam which is displaced with respect to the face exposed cement-filled spaces between the interlocking panel assemblies.

These together with other objects and advantages which will be come subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter ice described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, anl in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational view of a wall construction made in accordance with this invention with different layers thereof broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a partial transverse sectional view of the wall construction made in accordance with this invention in the process of being assembled.

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view showing the interlocked and cemented assembly of two adjacent portions of the panel assemblies.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 55 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a prospective view of a panel assembly made in accordance with the present invention as viewed from one side thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the panel assembly as viewed from the other side thereof.

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view taken through a plane indicated by section line S 8 in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a wall construction generally referred to by the reference numeral it which is formed from a plurality of panel assemblies each of which is generally referred to by reference numeral 12. A single panel assembly is more particularly illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 and is also shown in an unassembled position with respect to the other panel assemblies in FIGURE 2. Referring therefore to FIGURES 2, 6 and 7 in particular, it will be observed that the panel assembly 12 is formed by a face panel member 14 which is glued to a spacer member 16 to which a back panel member 18 is also glued. The panel member 14 may therefore be composed of one-quarter inch ply wood while the back panel member 18 of onequarter inch beaver board. The spacer member 16 on the other hand may be formed of beaver board material inch thick. The panel members and spacer member will have similar over-all dimensions and may preferably be rectangular. One practical size chosen for the panel members and the spacer member of each panel assembly is 2 feet by 4 feet. It will be appreciated that the'foregoing dimensions are merely exemplary as well as the materials of which the members are formed. The particular dimensions may therefore vary in accordance with the selection and strength of the materials and the facilities available for handling them. Also, installationa-l requirements may further dictate the selection of dimensions and materials. However, the variation in materials and dimensions must fall within the relative dimensional and functional relationships to be hereafter described with greater detail.

The panel members 14 and 18 and the spacer member 16 as hereinbefore indicated are in rover-all dimensions substantially equal to each other and rectangular in shape. The face member 14 has formed along all four edges thereof a cement edge generally referred to by reference numeral 20 including an upper portion 22 and a lower recessed portion 24. The top surface of the face panel paper 26 extends in overlapping relation as indicated by portions 32 and 34 of the paper 26. The major portion of the lower surface of the panel member 14 is attached or glued to the spacer member 16 except for portions 36 and 38 which form part of an interlocking groove 4% and 42 for the panel assembly 12.

The back panel member 18 which is spaced from the panel member 14 by the spacer member 16, is also disposed in offset relation to the panel member 14 so as to leave exposed beyond the edges 20 of the panel member 14 an exposed portion 44 and 46 which respectively form part of the groove 40 and 42. The exposed portions 44 and 46 also are provided with nailing recesses 48 by means of which nails 50 may anchor the back panel member of the panel assembly 12 to a wall backing member 52 which is attached to the wall studding 54. The back panel member 18 also includes opposite and parallel longitudinal cementing edges 56 and 58 and also lateral edges 60 and 62. The edge formations 56, 58, 60 and 62 differ from each other so that they may form spaced interlocking edges with adjacent panel assemblies. The edge formation 56 includes therefor an upper edge portion 64 and a recessed edge portion 66. The edge formation 58 on the other hand includes an upper recess edge portion 68 and a lower projecting edge portion 72'). Edge formation 60 similar to the edge formation 58 includes a recessed upper portion '72 and a projecting lower portion '74. The edge formation 62 includes a projecting upper portion '76 and a lower recessed portion 73. When the panel assemblies are in their interfitted assembled relation as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4-, the edge formation 20 will form a cement filled space 80 while the more closely spaced edge formation 56 and 58 will also receive small amounts of cement. Similarly, cement filled spaces are formed between the closely spaced interlocked edge formations 6G and 62.

The spacer member 16 is glued to the opposing faces of the panel members 14 and 18 for spacing thereof and is also offset with respect to both of the panel members so as to project two adjacent side abutting edge formations 82 and 84. Referring to FIGURE in particular, it will be observed that the spacer members 16 have a bevel corner 86 between the adjacent abutting edge formations 82 and 84 which abutting edge formations are also provided with bevels 3 3. The edge formations 82 and 84 are further provided with a plurality of notches 90 having inner beveled edges 92. The notches 90 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 8, extend inwardly of the spacer member 16 a distance sufiicient to provide communication between the cement filled spaces 80 formed between the edge formations 2% on the adjacent spaced panel members 14 and the smaller spaces between the edge formations on the back panel members 13. It will therefore be apparent that the cement filled spaces 89 and the spacing between the edge formations on the back panel members 14 will be predetermined by the abutment of the edge formations 82, and 84 with adjacent back edges on the spacer members when the edge formations 82 and 84 which constitute tongue projections of the panel assemblies 12 are received within the groove formations 49 and 42 respectively. It will therefore be apparent that abutment occurs only between the abutting edges of the spacer members 16 whereby predetermined spacing between the edge formations on the panel members is defined. The notches on the abutment formations 82 and 34 of the spacer members will provide communication between the cement filled spaces 89 and the smaller spaces between the interlocked edge formations on the back panel members so that the cement will be forced into all of said spaces to provide a strong and well sealed joint. Furthermore, the beveled edges 88 and 92 on the edge formations 82 and 84 respectively and in the notches fit will properly force the cement into the spaces provided therefor when the panel assemblies are assembled.

As indicated in FIGURE 2, a panel assembly 12 may be attached by means of the nails 50 to the wall backing member 52 and cement applied onto the exposed portions 44 and 46 thereafter. Another panel assembly 12 may then be interfitted with the attached panel assembly, the projecting tongue formation or abutting edge formations 82 and 84 forcing the cement into the spaces between the edge formations on the panel members. The cement space formed between the edge formations of the face panel member 14 being in communication with the other cement filled spaces through the notch formations 90, will provide an outlet for excess cement which may be removed flush with the face surface of the face panel members 14. The wall so assembled may be finally finished by gluing the overlapping portions 32 and 34 of paper 26 to the exposed face portions 28 and 30, said overlapping portions being cut on the job so as to form a perfect seam with the portion of the paper 26 glued to the adjacent panel member 14.

From the foregoing description, the construction and utility of the novel panel assembly and wall or ceiling construction that may be installed as a result thereof, will be apparent. It will be noted that the joints between adjacent panel assemblies 12 will be of an improved quality firstly because of the offset relation between the different abutting or spaced edges of the different layers or components of the panel assemblies as more clearly seen in FIGURE 1. Secondly, the panel assemblies being interlocked by two tongue and groove formations along all of the adjacent edges thereof will also provide a stronger assembly. Finally, the cementing of the joints throughout additionally strengthens and seals the wall or ceiling construction. Finally, a neater and more easily installed construction will be realized by use of the panel assemblies of the present invention in View of the predetermined spacing of the cement filled spaces and the abutment between the edges of the spacer members only. Also, the overlapping paper seam procedure hereinbefore mentioned contributes to the neatness of the resulting construction.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the space of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A panel wall assembly comprising a plurality of interfitting panels forming a flat wall surface, each panel having generally parallel end edges and side edges normal thereto and including a face panel, a back panel, and a spacing panel disposed between the face panel and back panel, said panels being of substantially the same size, the spacing panel having at least one edge projecting longitudinally beyond the corresponding edge of the face and back panel and at least one edge terminating inwardly of the corresponding edge of the face and back panel thereby defining a groove for receiving a projecting end edge of the spacing panel of an adjacent wall panel, said back panel having one edge projecting beyond a corresponding edge of the face and spacing panel to provide an exposed area for receiving fastening means, said face panel having a peripheral inwardly facing recess in the inner portion of the edge, the perimetrical dimension around the outer extremity of the spacing panel being greater than the perimetrical dimension around the outer extremity of the face panel whereby the peripheral edges of adjacent face panels are spaced from each other to receive cement thercbetween when the spacing panels abut, the projecting edge of said spacing panel being defined by a plurality of spaced fingers, the groove between the 7 face panel and back panel communicating with the recess in the edge of the face panel whereby cement may flow into the groove and between the fingers disposed therein.

5 6 2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the References Cited by the Examiner periphery of the back panel is provided with a portion UNITED STATES PATENTS communicating WlLh the space between the ad acent fin- 1,521,933 1/25 Drake 20 92 gers of an ad acent wall panel. 47

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the 5 9/27 WEISS 50-194 exposed area of the back panel is provided with recesses 1785499 12/30 Sayers 50455 1,846,658 2/32 Rockwell 20-92 thereon for receiving nalls. 5

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the 82 5/42 Scherer 2O 92 outer end edge of the fingers and the inner end edge of FOREIGN PATENTS the portion of the grooves therebetween are beveled. 10 728 021 4/55 Great Britain- 5. The assembly as defined in claim 4 together with a facing paper attached to the outer face of the face panel HENRY Q SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner in overlapping relation to two adjacent sides thereof while spaced from the opposite sides of the face panel for WILLIAM MUSHAKE JACOB L NACKENOFF concealing the cement joints between adjacent wall panels. 15 

1. A PANEL WALL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INTERFITTING PANELS FORMING A FLAT WALL SURFACE, EACH PANEL HAVING GENERALLY PARALLEL END EDGES AND SIDE EDGES NORMAL THERETO AND INCLUDING A FACE PANEL, A BACK PANEL, AND A SPACING PANEL DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FACE PANEL AND BACK PANEL, SAID PANELS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE, THE SPACING PANEL HAVING AT LEAST ONE EDGE PROJECTING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND THE CORRESPONDING EDGE OF THE FACE AND BACK PANEL AND AT LEAST ONE EDGE TERMINATING INWARDLY OF THE CORRESPONDING EDGE OF THE FACE AND BACK PANEL THEREBY DEFINING A GROOVE FOR RECEIVING A PROJECTING END EDGE OF THE SPACING PANEL OF AN ADJACENT WALL PANEL, SAID BACK PANEL HAVING ONE EDGE PROJECTING BEYOND A CORRESPONDING EDGE OF THE FACE AND SPACING PANEL TO PROVIDE AN EXPOSED AREA FOR RECEIVING FASTENING MEANS, SAID FACE PANEL HAVING A PERIPHERAL INWARDLY FACING RECESS IN THE INNER PORTION OF THE EDGE, THE PERIMETRICAL DIMENSION AROUND THE OUTER EXTREMITY OF THE SPACING PANEL BEING GREATER THAN THE PERIMETRICAL DIMENSION AROUND THE OUTER EXTREMITY OF THE FACE PANEL WHEREBY THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF ADJACENT FACE PANELS ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO RECEIVE CEMENT THEREBETWEEN WHEN THE SPACING PANELS ABUT, THE PROJECTING EDGE OF THE SPACING PANEL BEING DEFINED BY A PLURALITY OF SPACED FINGERS, THE GROOVE BETWEEN THE FACE PANEL AND BACK PANEL WHEREBY CEMENT MAY FLOW IN THE EDGE OF THE FACE PANEL WHEREBY CEMENT MAY FLOW INTO THE GROOVE AND BETWEEN THE FINGERS DISPOSED THEREIN. 